Reproductive Strategies
King Protea - Protea cynaroides
Describe clues given by structure and form as to how it's pollinated. Ornithophilous - Pollinated by birds Colour - Bright colour attracts vectors Nectar stored at bottom of flower head, stamens on the plant are clumped together tightly, this means that if the bird wants to access the nectar they must push their head through the collection of stamens to reach it, as they do so their head is covered with pollen, allowing pollination to occur. Landing Pad for birds - stamens form a platform, making it easy for birds to land. |
Coyote Brush - Baccharis pilularis
Describe clues given by structure and form as to how it's distributed. Relies on wind as a mode of distribution for seeds as they are small, light and easily picked up by wind via their tuft of fuzz. Numerous seeds ensure a wide spread of offspring is established and at least some seeds are established. Does not rely on animals as vectors. This is because there are no rewards for an animal that does eat the seeds (no nectar etc.). r reproductive strategist (In that multiple pffspring are produced and only some will survive). |
r And K Reproductive Strategies
r and K reproductive strategies define an animal as having either a tendency to produce large amounts of offspring which have limited parental care and less chance of survival (r strategy) or few offspring, which the parents invest considerable time and energy into (K strategy). The Chaparral biome has examples of both strategies.
r Reproductive Strategies - Monarch Butterfly The monarch butterfly is a good example of an r reproductive strategist, as it produces many young and expends very little energy on caring for them. A female will lay up to her own mass worth of eggs during mating season, this will equate to between 300 and 1200 eggs. Eggs take three to eight days to fully develop. The female will lay one egg at a time, in clusters, moving from one milkweed plant to another. r / K Reproductive Strategies - Honey Bee The honey bee is highly unusual in its form of reproduction. Queen honey bees are responsible for the laying of eggs and they can lay up to 1,500 a day. The eggs are then nurtured by worker bees which provide sustenance for the developing larvae. In this way honey bees can be classified as both r and K, as they produce extremely large amounts of offspring but also take care of the offspring, even if it isn't the mother directly responsible for the care. K Reproductive Strategies - Cougar Cougars are an excellent example of an animal that relies on a K reproductive strategy. Cougar litters range from one to six but two is the typical amount. The female takes sole care of the cubs and stays with them for up to two years. A mother will be fiercely protective of her cubs and protect them from potential dangers. Cubs are born blind and rely completely on the mother for protection. This dependance means that cougars can take longer to fully mature than other animals, like r strategists. |
Case Study - Coyote (Canis Lupus)
A Canid native to North America related to wolves and wild dogs.
Coyotes reproduce sexually
Coyotes have a male / female gender system
The mode of fertilization is internal
Coyotes are monogamous meaning they partner for life
The litter sizes are typically around six and are K - Selection, meaning the parents put
The offspring have a gestation period of sixty three days
Parental care is offered by both parents, with the father hunting for food and the mother caring for the pups
Coyotes reproduce sexually
Coyotes have a male / female gender system
The mode of fertilization is internal
Coyotes are monogamous meaning they partner for life
The litter sizes are typically around six and are K - Selection, meaning the parents put
The offspring have a gestation period of sixty three days
Parental care is offered by both parents, with the father hunting for food and the mother caring for the pups